THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

The nation of Israel did not begin in 1948, when the Jewish people's council officially proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel. It began when God called Abraham to be the father of a nation, Israel (Genesis 12:1-3). However, it was the leadership of Moses that guided them from slavery in Egypt to the doorstep of the promise land. Then God chose Joshua to lead them to conquer the promise land. When David became the King of the Nation of Israel, he decided to build a temple in Jerusalem, but his son, Solomon, executed the plan of building the temple between 966 BC and 959 BC. Every year, the Jewish people go to the Temple to offer their sin and thanksgiving offering to God. Jerusalem became a part of the spiritual identity of the Jewish people because of the Temple. Psalm 122:1-2 says, "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.' And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem." But Jerusalem had been a contentious place because of the surrounding enemies of the nation of Israel. And this is the reason why Psalm 122:6-7 encourages us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It says, "Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces."

The Arab and the Jewish people have always lived in the land, but when the British decided to give up the land, they divided it into two sections for both the Arabs and the Jews. Right after Israel became an independent nation with the land that was given to them by the British Empire in 1948, the Arab nations, such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, attacked Israel, hoping to conquer their land immediately and turn it into an Arab land. However, by God's miraculous intervention, Israel defeated the Arabs and conquered some of the Arabs' territory. The Arab nations attacked Israel in 1967, but Israel defeated them once again, and during this time Israel conquered the entire Jerusalem. In 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise joint military offensive against Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, and Israel survived and defeated Egypt and Syria with humiliation. Today, we see several Arab nations, including the Palestinian people, continue to spew hatred against the Jewish nation. 

All of these conflicts will end when our Lord Jesus returns and reigns in Jerusalem; for the meantime, let's pray for peace in Jerusalem. The conflicts in Jerusalem are not only a land issue, but it is also spiritual. Jerusalem is a significant place because this is where Jesus will reign for one thousand years to judge and rule the world in his second coming.

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What is the best thing that I can do for the peace in Jerusalem? What are the sources of the conflict in Jerusalem? Who can bring peace in Jerusalem?

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Father in Heaven, I pray for peace in Jerusalem. I pray that the Jewish nation and the Palestinians will come to believe in the Lord Jesus, for He is the only one who can bring peace in their hearts and forgiveness of their sins. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.